End-closing machine for paper bags



Oct. 28, 1930. H. H CRAWFORD END CLOSiNG MACHINE FOR PAPER BAGS 4Sheets- Sheet 1 Filed April 5, 1928 I NvzN-roa Oct. 28, 1930. H.- H.CRAWFORD I END CLOSING MACHINE FOR PAPER BAGS Filed April 3, 1928 4SheetsSheet 2 lNvENToR Q'TTORNEY Oct. 23, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 FiledApril 1928 INVENTOR QT'T'ORNEY Oct. 28, 1.930. H. H. CRAWFORD 1,780,005

v END CLOSING MACHINE FOR PAPER BAGS Filed April 3, 1928 4Sheets--15hee15 4 E ii ATTORNEY Patent ed'Oct. 28, 1930 UNITED STATESPATENT pm;

.mnnv mom) cnnwronn, or w'nnnsnnno, wnsr vmenlu, assrenoa or 01mrounrnmo 'r. n. mmonn, oNn-roua'm r0 1:. J. news, m one-rowan: 'ro

HAMMOND BAG & PAPER 00., A CORPORATION OF 3m, WEST VIRGINIAWEST-VIRGINIA, ALL OI'WELLS- nun-creams monmn ron rune. mes

' Application filed April 8, 1928. Serial No. 268,945.

i commonly employed as containers for heavy powdered or granularmaterials, as cement, which materials are introduced in the bag througha filler opening formed by the provision of a valve in one of the bagends.

length, are advanced in rapid succession and whereby, in the advance ofsaid blanks, a folded paper tape is applied to each of the opposite endsof the tubes, is sewed in enclosing relation to said ends for closingthe latter, and the tapes between adjacent advancing tubes are thensevered, thus com- Q pleting the manufacture of the bag without .5 humanintervention.

With these and other objects in view, the

invention resides in the features of construction, arrangement of partsand combinations of elements which will hereinafter be fully described,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which-- t Figure 1is a top plan view of the inven- Figure 2 is a side elevation of thesame; Figure 3 is an enlarged section of the feeding mechanism takensubstantially on line 3-3, Fig. 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a fragmentary portion of alower blank stripping roll; r Figure 5 is a detail section on line 5-5,Fig. 3;.

I Figure 6 is an enlarged detail sectionon line 6-'-6, Fig? 1;

Figures 7 and 8 are similar sections taken on lines 7 'i' and 88,respectively, of Fig. 1; Figure!) is a sectional elevation on line 9-9,Fig. 1;

6Q. Figure 10 is an enlarged front elevation-of A still further objectis to provide a ma-- chine whereon the folded tube blanks, cut to a oneof the shears, showing its drive mechanism V Figure 11 is a top planview of the same Figur 12 is an enlarged side elevation-o the adjutme'nt for the shears;

Figure 13 is a section on line 13-13, Fig.

carry endless traveling belts 7. Also jourf naled at the opposite endsof the frame are transverse shafts 8 having mounted thereon pulleys 9which carry endless traveling bolts 10, the lower laps of the-belts 10being located in closely overlying relationto the upper laps of thelower belts 7, as shown in Figs. 2 and 9.

Fixed on each of the shafts-4 between the pulleys 6 are drive wheels 11upon which are carried endless traveling chains 12 which constitutemembers of a.conveyo r whereon the tubular bag blanks 27 are transportedfrom one end of the frame to the other. Fixedon each of said chains atsuitable regularly spaced intervals, corresponding substantially to thewidth of the bag blanks, are lugs 13 which serve to properly space thesuccessive bag blanks relative to each other and, in the advance travelof said blanks, to advance the latter positively, or without chanceshifti movement on the chains. The lower belts supplement the chains asoonveyors, while the u per belts ride upon the tops of the bag -bliinksfor maintaining the latter in closely seated relation to the conve orbelts and chains and for preventing km' n ling of said blanks to theextent that the opposite ends of the latter are presented in properlyflattened condition to sewing machines.

' g and bucki 14 which are suitably located at opposite sides each ofthe opposite ends of said tubular bag blanks as the latter are advancedbeneath the presser feet thereof.

For causing the belts 10 to seat upon the underlying belts 7 withsufficient firmness to insure that the blanks shall lie fiat, rollersand 16 are mounted in overlying relation to the lower laps of said belts10. As herein shown, the rollers 15 are carried by a shaft 43 which isjournaled in brackets 17 fixed to the sides of the frame, and therollers 16 are journaled in the rear ends of bars 18 which are directedrearward from said brackets.

Suitably mounted, as upon frame-carried brackets 19, at or adjacent tothe front end of the frame, are two oppositely disposed reels 20 uponeach of which is wound a tape 21of paper which, in properly folded, ordoubledover, form is designed to be applied as a reinforcing strip tobag blanks, said tapes being sewed in place by the sewing machines inthe aforesaid operation of closing the ends of the blanks. From each ofsaid reels, the tape 21 is directed forwardly to a suitably shaped tapeguide 22 which is rigidly carried by a longitudinally extending bar 23mounted on the cross members 3 over which the adjacent end of the blanksslide in their advance travel to the sewing machines. Said guide 22 hasthe form of a vertically elongated wire-forined eye, as shown in Fig. 6,and the tape is received flatwise against the inner face of the outerupright member of said eye, as shown in dotted lines in said figure.From said eye 22, the tape extends forwardly parallel to the path oftravel of the tube lengths to a second guide 24 which, as shown in Fig.7, is of substantially semi-circular form and into the open side ofwhich extends a bow shaped longitudinal flan e 25 formed on the adjacentedge of the a jacent bar 23. In passing between said guide 24 andsaidflange 25, the tape is progressively bowed outward; and in passingthence through a guide 26 located adjacent to and rearward of theposition of the presser'foot (not shown) of the sewing machine, the tapeis caused to be folded or doubled along a median line, as shown in Fi 8.Said guide 26 is made substantially shape in cross section and has theterminal. edges 26 of its parallel members turned back between thelatter, thereby to dispose the substantially parallel members of thelongitudinally folded tape upon opposite sides of the adjacent ends ofthe blanks 27 which, in approachirfg the sewing machine, travel throughthe space between the terminal edges 26, as shown in Fig. 8.

After the blanks have been closed by passing their ends through thesewing machines 14, as hereinbefore explained, it becomes necessary tosever the tapes 21 which connect the opposite ends of adjacent bags. Forthis purpose automatically actuated shears are provided at oppositesides of the a -h f travel of the bags. Each of said shears comprises ablade 28 which is fixed to a stationary part of the frame structurebeneath the path of travel of the bags, as shown in Fig. 10, and arotary blade 29 adapted to cooperate with said stationary blade 28 attimed intervals which slightly exceed the time required for the passageof a bag over the blade 28.

The blade 29 is rigidly carried by a disk 30 fixed upon a short shaft 31which is journaled in a supporting frame 32 mounted upon a suitable partof the conveyor frame, as is best shown in Fig. 2. Said shafts 31 aredriven through worm gears 33 fixed thereon by means of worms 34 carriedby a transverse driven shaft 35 which is suitably journaled in bearingsprovided at opposite sides of the conveyor frame, as in the frame 32.Rotation of the disk 30 is timed to effect shearing of the oppositetapes between successively advanced bags. l

As herein shown for illustrative purposes,

the mechanism hereinbefore described is driven by an'elec tric motor 37connected by a 'drivebelt 38 to a pulley 39 borne by an end of atransverseshaft 40 which constitutes the drive forv the sewing machines.A pinion 41 mounted on said shaft occupies driving relation to a gear 47carried by a countershaft 42 which, in turn, carries a small sprocketwheel connected by a sprocket chain .44 to a large sprocket wheel 45fixed on a suitably journaled shaft 46. A small sprocket wheel fixed onsaidshaft 46 is connected by a drive chain 48 to a larger sprocket wheel49 fixed on the shaft 35 for driving the latter. As is obvious, therequired reduction of speed for driving the shears is effected throughthe drive gearing described. Power for driving the conveyor chains 12and the lower belts 7 is transmitted to'the shaft 4 at the front ench ofthe ma chine by means of a sprocket chain 50 connecting sprocket wheelsborne by the shafts 46 and 4. The shafts 8 for the upper conveyor belts10 are driven through engaged gears 51 and 52 carried by the shafts 4'and 8, respectively, located at the front end of the machine.

For the purpose of providing slight adjustments of the timing of theshears, so that the same may operate to sever the tapes at the properpoints, the shaft 35 is made in two sections, as shown in Fig. 13. Eachof the meeting ends of said shaft sections has fixed thereon a disk 53having therein a plurality of arcuate slots 54. The sprocket wheel 49through which power is transmitted for driving said shaft sections isinterposed between said disks, and bolts 55 directed through said wheeland through the slots 54 of said disks serve to maintain said sprocketwheel in adjusted position.

Manifestly, when said bolts have been loosened, said disks with theirshaft sections, may be rotated'slightly either in a forward or arearward direction relative to' said "sprocket wheel for advancing orretarding the time at which the shears may operate, as're uiredi it wille manifest that the tubular bag blanks which are to be. advanced on theconveyor may be positioned on the conveyor Carried by a part of theconveyorframe over said disks is a rigid upright member 58 against whichabut the foremost lateral edges of blanks 27 arranged in a pile or packupon a suitably located feed table 59 and which project forwardly asuitable distance from the forward edgeof said table. Foot members 60formed on the lower ends of said members 58 are adapted to support theforward edge of the pack, as shown in Fig. 3. Y i

s the claws 57 of the disks 56 engage the foremost edge of the lowermostof the blanks 27, the latter is pushed rearwardly off the supportingfoot members 60 and is carried Fig. 3, and, at the proper time, isengaged between said disks and pressure-exerting rollers 61 which arefixed on a shaft 62 having its ends suitably journaled in bearings 64provided on the upper ends of rocker .bars 63 which are mountedintermediate their ends upon a shaft 5 journaled on the conveyor. framemembers 1.

The lower ends of said rocker bars 63 carry a shaft 65 upon which aremounted anti-friction rollers 66 which are constantly maintained inseated relation to the peripheral surfaces of earns 67 which are fixedonthe adjacent shaft '4 of the conveyor. Said cams are so shaped and sodisposed upon said shaft 4 that the rocker bars. 63

are swung forward and back at the proper times for causing their rollers61' to be actuated into cooperative feeding relation to the feed disks56, to remain in said relation throughout the time required to enterthe- A suitable guide member 68 is arranged for directing the. blanks.to entering position I with respect to said belts.

Suitable tension means is provided for the pressure exerting rollers 61,said means comtween the shaft 65 and closing operation.

prising tension springs 69 interposed between the bearings for the shaft62 and adjusting bolts 70, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. v

- A retractile coil spring 71 interposed bea fixed member of theconveyor frame normally holds the rocker bars 64 in the full lineposition shown in 3.

In the modified form of automatic feeding mechanism illustrated in Fig.14, the foremost-edge of the lowermost blank in the packcries of rollers73 which are'fixed on a shaft 74 located above the disks 56. feaid clawsserve tocarry said forward edge portion of the lowermost blankrearwardly such a distance that it will gravitate to a point at which itmay be gripped between the rollers 61 and the disks 56 whereby the blankis advanced and, directed by the guide 68', is entered between theconveyer belts. The shaft 74 is rotated by. meansofa sprocket chain 7 5con-' necting sproekets carried by saimsha'ft and by the shaft 8,respectively.

The pin 7 2 is normally held in a retracted position by a compressionspring 76. A pivoted arm 77 is disposed in seated relation to the'outerend of said pin, and a cam'78 I w 1 carried by a suitably journaledshaft 79 is dedownward, as indicated" in dotted lines in signed tothrust said arm rearwardly for actuatlng said pin at the requiredintervals. Said shaft 79is suitably driven from the shaftS,

as by a s rocket chain 80. Also driven from feed tableand the supportingfeet 60'. Fol

lowing such dislodgment, said bell crank is permitted to swing back bygravity to a position wherein its said arm 84 is withdrawn fromsupporting relation to the pack.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that the paperblanks are successivelydeposited upon the conveyor chains with theirrear edges restingagainst the lugs 13 thereof and are advanced by saidchains, assisted by the conveyor belts, to and through the positionatwhich the sewing machines apply to said blanks end-closing rows ofstitches; also that folded reinforcing tapes are properly positionedrelative to and are stitched upon the ends of said blanks in the Fromsaid sewing machines, the blanks are, advanced past shear mechanismswhereby the tapes are severed midway between successive bags, thusseparating the latter.

While I have herein shown and described the shears as driven through theintermediacy of the sprocket chain 48, it will be obvious that shearsdriven by other means, as by an air, or other form of power, cylindermay be provided. In such case, the air control valve of such powercylinder may be so arranged that it will be tripped at the proper timesby means of the successively advanced lugs 13 carried by the conveyorchains. 7

Further, it will be noted that the various operations required, asaforesaid, are performed automatically in properly timed relation, thuswholly obviating both manual handling of the bags and manual actuationof any 1 parts of the mechanism.

What is claimed is-' 1. Automatic mechanism for closing the oppositeends of paper bag blanks of tubular form, comprising oppositely disposedsewing machines, a conveyor'whereon said blanks, disposed transverselyand in parallel spaced. relation, are advanced for presenting their endsin operative relation to said sewing machines, tape-carrying reels,means located on opposite sides of the path of travel of said blankswhereby tapes drawn from saidgreels machines, a conveyor whereon saidblanks,

disposed transversely and in parallel spaced relation, are advanced forpresenting their ends in operative relation to said sewing machines,tape-carr 'ying reels, means located on opposite sides of the path oftravel of said blanks whereby tapes drawn from said reels are doubledlongitudinally and are positioned in enclosing relation to the ends ofsaid blanks, means to drive said sewing machines for stitching thepositioned tapes in closing relation to said ends of the blanks, meansfor feeding said blanks to the conveyor, rockable means cooperating withthe feeding means to support the blanks during the feeding thereof, andmeans actuated in timed relation to the rate of travel of said conveyorwhereby are severed the tapes connecting successively advanced closedbags.

3. Automatic mechanism for closin opposite ends of paper bag blanks oftu ular the form, comprising oppositely disposed sewing machines, aconveyor whereon said blanks, disposed transversely and in parallelspaced relation, are'advanced for presenting their ends in operativerelation to said sewing machines, tape-carrying reels, means located ono posite sides of the path of travel of said blan s whereby tapes drawnfrom said reels are doubled longitudinally and are positioned inenclosing relation to the ends of said blanks, means to drive saidsewing machines for stitching the positioned tapes in closing relationto said ends of the blanks, and shears located forwardly with respect tosaid sewing machines and on opposite sides of the path of travel of theclosed bags whereby the tapes connecting the latter are severed, each ofsaid shears embodying a rotary blade. v

4. Automatic mechanism for closing the opposite ends of paper bag blanksof tubular form, comprising oppositely disposed sewing machines, aconveyor whereon said blanks are advanced relative to said sewingmachines, means maintaining said blanks in spaced parallel relation onsaid conveyor, means maintaining the ends of said blanks in flattenedformfl tape-carrying reels arranged at opposite sides of the path oftravel of said tubes, means for folding said tapes longitudinally andfor disposing the same in enclosing relation to the ends of said blanksduring the advance travel of the latter, means to drive said sewingmachines for stitching the positioned tapes in closing relation to saidbag ends, and automatic means actuated at timed intervals for severingthe tapes between successively advanced bags.

5. Automatic mechanism for closing the opposite epds ofpaper bag blanksof tubular form, comprising oppositely disposed sewing machines, aconveyor whereon said blanks, disposed transversely and in parallelspaced relation, are advanced for presenting their ends in operativerelation to said sewing machines, tape-carrying reels, means located onopposite sides of the path of travel of said blanks whereby tapes drawnfrom said reels are doubled longltudinally and are positioned inenclosing relation to the ends of said blanks, means to drive saidsewing machines-for stitching'the positioned tapes in closing relationtosaid ends of the blanks,

and means actuated in timed relation to the travel of saidconveyor-whereby are severed the tapes connecting successively advancedclosed bags, means for feeding blanks to' said conveyor, and meanscooperating with the last named means for intermittently support ing theblanks during the feeding thereof.

6. Automatic mechanism for closing the opposite ends of paper bag blanksof tubular form, comprising oppositely disposed sewing machines, aconveyor whereon. said blanks, disposed transversely and in parallelspaced relation, are advanced for presenting theirv in enclosingrelation to the ends ofsaid blanks, meanstodrive said sewing machinesfor stitching the positioned tapes in closing relation to said ends ofthe blanks, and means actuated in timed relation to the travel of saidconveyor whereby are severed the tapes connecting successively advancedclosed bags, and means'for successively feeding blanks to said conveyorfrom the bottom of a stack of such blanks. i

7 Automatic mechanism for closing the opposite ends of paper bag blanksof tubular form, comprising oppositely disposed sewing .machines, aconveyor whereon said blanks, disposed transversely and in parallelspaced relation, are advanced for presenting their ends in operativerelation tosaid sewing machines, tape-carrying reels, means located onopposite sides of the path of travel of said blanks whereby tapes drawnfrom said reels are doubled longitudinally and are positioned inenclosing relation to the ends of said blanks, means to drive saidsewing machines for stitching the positioned tapes in closing relationto said ends of the blanks, and means actuated in timed relation to thetravel of said conveyor ivherebyare severed the tapes connectingsuccessively advanced closed ags, and. means for successively separatinblanks from the bottom of a stack thereo and feeding said blanks to theconveyor. Y Y Q 1 v 8. Automatic mechanism for closing the opposite endsof paper bag blanks of tubular? form, comprising oppositely disposedsewing machines, a conveyor whereon said blanks,

disposed transversely and in parallel. spaced relation, are advanced forpresenting their ends in operative relation to said sewingmachines,endless traveling belts associated with said conveyor inoverlying and underlying relation to-the opposite ends ofsaid blankswhereby the latter are maintained against buckling, tape-carrying reels,means located on opposite sides of the path of travel of said blankswhereby tapes drawn from said reels are doubled longitudinally and: areositioned in'enclosing relation to the en s of said blanks, means todrive said sewing machines for stitching the positioned tapes in closingrelation to said ends ofthe blanks,

and automatic means operating at'timed intervals for severing the tapesbetween suc= cessively advanced bags.

9; Automatic 'mechanismffor closing the opposite ends ofpaper bag blanksof tubular form, comprising oppositely disposed sewing'machines, aconveyor whereon said blanks,

disposedtransversely and in parallel spaced relation, are advanced forpresenting their ends in operative relationto said sewing machines,endless tragveling belts associated with said conveyor in overlying andunderlying relation to the opposite ends of said blanks, rollersarranged to s upon the overlying belt for preventing bu carrying reels,means located on opposite sides of the path of travel of said blankswhereby tapes drawn from said reels are doubled longitudinally and arepositioned in enclosing relation to the ends of said blanks, means todrive said sewing machines for stitching the positioned tapes in closingrelation to said ends of the blanks,- and automatic means voperating attimed intervals for .severing the tapes between, successivelyadvancedbags.

10. An apparatus for simultaneousl closing the ends of tubular bagblanks inc uding opposed sewing machines, a conveyor adapt ed to supportsaid bag blanks beneath the sewing machines, means for automaticallyfeeding blanks to the conveyor from the bottom of a" stack of saidblanks, and cutting means disposed rearwardly' of the sewing maing ofsaid ends, tapechines whereby the threads connecting eachof the bags aresevered.

11. An apparatus for simultaneousl sewing the ends of tubularbag'blanks' inc uding opposed sewing machines, spaced pairs ofcooperating conveyors adapted to move and support the bag blanks beneaththe sewing machines, automatic means for feeding-the bag blanks from thebottom of a stack of said blanks, and cutting means arranged wherebysevering of the connecting threads 12. An apparatus for automaticallclosing the opposite ends of tubular bag lanks, including opposed sewingmachines, pairs of spaced cooperating conveyor members adapted to moveand support the bag blanks neath the sewing machines, blank feeding--mechanism for the conveyor member arranged to feed a blank from'thebottom of a stack of said blanks, tape carrying and foldchines, aconveyor for the blanks, means for separating and feeding said blanks tothe conveyor, means cooperating with said last named means tointermittently support one end of said blanks during the separationthereof and cutting means for severing the thread connection betweeneach of the successive bag blanks, said last named means including a'stationary cutter and a rotary blade.

14. An apparatus for simultaneously bindbetween each of the bag blanksisfacilitated;

ing means disposed parallel to each of said ing and stitching the endsof tubular bag blanks, including a pair of opposed sewin machines, aconveyor cooperating with sai sewing machines, means for automaticallyseparating and feeding said blanks to said conveyor from the bottom of astack of said blanks, presser means cooperating with said conveyorwhereby to aline said blanks with said sewing machines, tape feeedingand folding mechanism disposed on opposite sides of sand conveyor andcutting means arranged rearwardly of the sewing machines wherebyseparation of the successively stitched and bound bag blanks isfacilitated.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

Y HARRY HAMMOND CRAWFORD.

